In the manufacture of magnetic-recording media for data storage devices, for example, magnetic-recording disks of hard-disk drives, a carbon overcoat (COC) may be used to protect the magnetic-recording medium. Nitrogen implantation of the COC results in the formation of a thin top-surface layer of nitrogenated carbon in proximity to the surface of the nitrogen-implanted COC (NICOC). The thin top-surface layer of nitrogenated carbon can promote bonding between the NICOC and a layer added later on top of the NICOC, by way of example, a layer of lubricant, without limitation thereto.